Medicare and Medicaid debated

I commend Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan for having the courage to finally say out loud how the GOP will try to keep Medicare solvent. A month ago, I asked U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Bryan, his thoughts on this subject via email and never received a response. In that he was standing next to Ryan during the plan’s announcement, I can only assume that Flores completely agrees with the proposed restructuring of Medicare.

As a result of Ryan’s budget proposals, we can now decide as a country if we are willing to use our financial ability to provide reasonable health care for our most vulnerable or if we want to turn that care over to private insurance companies through a voucher program that will diminish in value. Thanks to Ryan, we now understand that Flores thinks we must reduce Medicare benefits to save Medicare.

Personally, I think this country has the ability to continue Medicare. We simply must decide if it is a national priority and then carry out the improvements already started with the Affordable Care Act.

I encourage everyone to ask Flores:

* Why not go ahead and start the vouchers now? Is it because seniors vote and would never support this change?

* Where will the elderly find insurance companies that will provide the same level of coverage that Medicare does?

* How much will the proposed changes cost seniors?

I look forward to the answers.

Larry Kinard, Woodway

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Why is there not a flat rate for medical procedures paid for by Medicaid? No wonder this system is broke. We are taking money away from education and firing teachers because of budget shortfalls while paying one hospital thousands of dollars more than another hospital for the same procedure? Who makes up these rules?

Frank Merlino, Hewitt

Reduce medical errors and suits

A recent study in the journal Health Affairs estimates there are mistakes (adverse events) in one of three hospital admissions.  In 1999, the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine estimated 44,000 to 98,000 people die annually in the United States from adverse events.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has repeatedly asked voters to tell Congress to stop lawsuits and thus reduce medical costs. Texas has already made it extremely difficult to sue — even if you are affluent enough to afford it and have a lot of income to replace.

My response is that a far greater reduction of medical costs and lawsuits can be achieved by reducing medical errors, of which there are far more than lawsuits.

Gary Hull, Woodway

Teachers facing greater burdens

Regarding Midway ISD board candidate Gayle Avant’s Tuesday letter: Has he considered how devastating the new proposed flexibility for education administrators will be to teachers? After serious job losses, they face salary cuts, increased class sizes and up to six days of unpaid furlough.

Why expand dual credit courses when valuable pre-K and kindergarten programs face elimination?

Evelyn Cowart, Waco